Leg-spreader for horses.



T. ST. JEAN.

LEG SPREADER FOB HORSES.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.1, 1913.

1,104,843, Patented July 28, 19M

IIIIIIIIIII/ WTNEsStS INvENTo' M Zieapore Sfl/eay THE NORRIS PETERS CO..PHOTO-LITHOu WASHINGTON. D C

TELESPHORE ST. JEAN, OF ST.PAUL, MINNESOTA.

LEG-SPREADER non HORSES. I

mosses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1913.

Patented July 28, 1914. Serial No. 792,736.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TnLnsPHonn ST. JEAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county ofRamsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Leg-Spreaders for Horses, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in leg spreaders for horses of thattype wherein spreader sticks are connected with the horses hind legs andsupported from the thill.

My invention has for its object particularly to provide improved meansfor attaching the device to the thill and supporting the spreader sticksfrom the thill supported portion to make the device particularly easy ofattachment; to keep the device from twisting upon the thill and toprevent the spreader sticks flying up and striking the horse.

To this end the invention consists in the features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a cabinet projection of mydevice showing the connected spreaderstick partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a section on line 00-210 of Fig. 1,and Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the device and containedthill.

As shown in the drawings, the device includes a tubular thill clamp madeup of two longitudinal members 2 and 3 having hinge connection 4, thefree edges of the clamps being formed with outwardly extending flanges 5adapted to be connected by bolts 6. Extending downwardly and outwardlyfrom the clamp member 3 is a journal box 7, the outer end of the journalbox being connected from its upper side with the member 3 by a web 8.The journal box is formed at each end with a cup holding portion 9,supporting bearing members 10 depending from ball bearings 11. A shaft12 passes through the box, being formed at its opposite ends withbearing cones 13 cooperating with the ball bearings. A suitable lock nut23 is shown threaded upon the inner end of the shaft to adjust thebearing. On the other end of the shaft issupported a ferrule 15 in thelower end of which ferrule is secured the upper end of the spreaderstick 16. The lower end of the spreader stick is adapted to be securedto the horses leg by a suitable cord or elastic; 17. The upper end ofthe ferrule l5 is" formed upon one side with a shoulder 18 cooperatingwith t-he'web' 8, as hereinafter pointed out! I The thill clamp isadapted to besupported in position upon the thill 19 through the of theparts through the medium of the ball bearing between the supportingshaft of the spreader stick and the thill clamp,

When it is desired to use my device, the clamp member may be quickly andeasily applied. to the thill by opening up the hinged members andplacing upon the thill, as shown in Fig. 2, the nut 21 extending intothe recess 22. The clamp members are connected through the medium of thebolt 6 and spreadersticks connected with the horses leg, not shown,through the medium of cords 17. It will be understood that thesespreader sticks are used in pairs, one for each side of the horse. Thespreader stick will then in usemove with the action of the horses legs,smooth and easy movement of the parts being secured through the mediumof the antifriction bearing for the shaft 12. Where, as often happensthe cord 17 breaks, causing the spreader stick to be thrown upwardlywith considerable force, the stick will be prevented from hitting thehorse by reason of the shoulder 18 upon the ferrule striking the web 8and the thill clamp will be kept from twisting upon the thill by reasonof the rectangular nut 21 projecting into the' rectangular recess 22.With the ordinary device runaways are frequently caused by the spreaderstick flying upward and striking the horse, but with my constructionthis is absolutely prevented and the clamp kept from twisting upon thethill by the coop eration of the shoulder 18, web 8, and the rectangularrecess 22 with the rectangular nut projecting therein. The recess 22being elongated, as shown, allows sliding adjust-- ment upon the thill.

I claim as my inventionz' I 1. A device of the class described com:prising a tubular clamp formed of hinged members, a spreader stickhaving journal support upon the underside of one of said members, afixed shoulder above the journaled end of the spreader stick and a cooperating shoulder projecting outwardly from one side of the journaledend of the spreader stick.

2. A device of the class described comprising a tubular clamp, aspreader stick having journal support under said clamp, a web connectingsaid clamp and journal support of said spreader stick and a stopprojecting outwardly from the journaled head of said spreader stick uponone side of 0 said web, for the purposeset forth.

3. A device of the class described comprising in combination with athill, a tubular hearing part supported transversely underneath saidclamp and projecting from one side thereof, a web connecting theprojecting part of said bearing part and'tubular clamp and serving as ashoulder, a cooperating shoulder carried by the journaled end of saidspreader stick at one side of said web, and a squared projection carriedby said thill, said clamp having formed therein an oblong rectangularrecess to receive said projection.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

TELESPHORE ST. JEAN. Witnesses:

H. S. JoHNsoN, H. SWANsoN.

Copies ,0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of 'Patents, Washington, I). 0;

